Apparatus for periodically drenching a material with a liquid and thereafter draining it therefrom.



A. T. EYTON & Ff]. H ENDIRSUIV.

APPARATUS FOR PERIODICALLY DBENCHING A MATERIAL WITH A LIQUID AND THEREAFTEB DRAINING IT THEREFROM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 20. 1915.

Patented N 0v 28, 1916.

1. J. fiends/190m.

NVENTORS A. T Eptora UNITED STATES PATEN OEFICEQ-i ADAM TUDOR EYTON, OI? NELSON, AND FREDERICK J. HENDERSON, OF VANCOUIIEB,

BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

APPARATUS FOR PERIODICALLY- DRENCHIN G A MATERIAL WITH A LIQUID.AND

- v THEREAFTER DRAINING IT THEREFROM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

Application filed October 20, 1915. Serial No. 57,019.

. Draining It Therefrom, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a means for automatically drenching with a liquid at defi- 'nite intervals of time the contents of a series of vats and for draining the liquid from the same after each drenching.

Although applicable to a variety of uses, the device has been particularly designed for the production of a basic acetate of lead from the blue or metallic lead, which basic acetate is subsequently used in the production of carbonate of lead and the white lead of commerce.

In the known processes for producing a liquid solution of basic""acetate from 1n etallic lead, difiiculty is experienced in obtaining the solution free from the slimes, which slimes are detrimental to the production of a pure white carbonate as they contain not only any impurities of the lead but small particles of metallic lead which may. have escaped corrosion. I

\Vith the apparatus, which is the subject of the present application, the drenching of the finely divided metallic lead exposed in relatively shallow vats,'is automatically effected at definite intervals of time sufiicient to insure the required exposure of the acidwet surface of the leadto the atmosphere, and un er conditions of quiescence as regards t/ e metallic lead that the fine film of acetate formed on it by the preceding drenching and exposure will be dissolved fromit, and the solution is immediately decanted from the vat and the metal is further exposed to the atmlisphere. The lead being quiescent the slime a minimum but they are retained in the bottom of each .corroding vat to be withdrawn therefrom for separate and subsequent treatment as by-prod'ucts.

The process is continuously and rapidly carried out with a plant requiring only a .are not only reduced to.

small capital outlay, and being conducted automatically requires a minimum of personal attention so that the cost of production of the carbonate is relatively small.

The apparatus is fully described in they following specification, reference being made to the drawings by which it is accompanied, in which:

Figure l is a vertical section showing the general arrangement of the corroding plant,

and Fig. 2.is an enlarged detail in section of one of the corroding vats.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing a series of corroding vats 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, .12 are suitably supported stepped one below the other, the bottom of one approximately coinciding with the top of theone beneath. Each of these vats has a closable aperture'9 in the bottom to which the surface of the 5 5 located below the level of the lowest vat.

From this main solution tank 5 a pump 13. charges the upper vat 2 through a pipe 7 at definite intervals of time automatically controlled by the level of the solution in the tank.

In conducting the process of corrosion all the vats 2, 4, 6,8, 10, 12 are chargedwith metallic lead in a finely divided state to about half the depth of the vat above the. false bottom and a solution of acetic acid of suitable strength is pumped from the' main solution tank 5 into the upper vat 2 of the series. solutionis delivered into the upper vat 2 to insure that it will flow automatically through the several vats of the series, the pump is automatically cut off. The amount of solution pumped into the uppermost vat 2 eniptgs itself' automatically through its siphon into theiva't 4 beneath, leaving in the vat 2 an air space beneath its perforated false bottom 14, and a slight depth for the accumulation at slimes in the lower level of When a suflicient quantity of the the vat, and this automatic delivery of the solution is continued successively through the several vats of the series until it is delivered back into the main solution tank, when the pump is again automatically started to refill the uppermost vat as before from the main solution tank 5. This successive passing of a charge of solution from the main solution tank 5 through the several corroding vats is continued until the solution in the main receiving tank becomes highly basic, or until it contains the required amount of lead. \Vhen the liquid in the main solution tank 5 is ascertained to contain the required amount of lead it is run therefrom for further treatment to precipitate the lead as carbonate of lead, which further treatment is. not material to this application.

The slimes which collect in the bottom of each vat below the level of the siphon inlet may be withdrawn as required through the closable drain aperture 9 and is conducted by a drain pipe 11 into a receptacle for subsequent treatment as a by-product.

It may be found advantageous to direct the delivery outlet from each siphon into the center of the vat beneath, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, that the film of acetate may be more effectively washed from the metallic lead.

In-order to have a suiiicient period of exposure to the air of the lead in the vat be tween -ach drenching of it with the'solution, the amount of solution in circulation that is pumped from the main solution tank into the uppermost corroding vat 2 need only be as much in excess of the capacity of one vat, as will insure a. full inflow from the one above to overtake the partial outflow from the siphon as it commences to run over into the one beneath, but the time of exposure to the air may be regulated to any requirement by regulating the intermission between the drenchings, for although in the drawing the pump is shown as automatically started and stopped by the action of a float in the main solution tanlgthe same may be started and stopped by any time regulating device. f

We are aware that it i s not new to produce a soluble acetate bf lead by alternate drenching of metallic leadand exposure of the same to the action of the air between each drenching, but, claim as new the particular means by whichthe alternate drenchings and exposure are automatically obtained by means of a succession of automatically acting siphons between a series of corroding vats.

Although the process has been described in its application-to the corrosion of metallic lead and the leaching therefrom of the acetates and sub-oxids formed by such corrosion, it must be distinctly understood that g,

the process may be applicable to the treatment of any material requiring intermittent drenching with any liquid.

Having now particularly described our invention, we hereby declare that what we beneath by a siphon through the side of the val: adjacent its upper edge, the shorter leg of the siphon extending to near the bottom of the upper vat and the longer leg delivering into the vat beneath, and means for periodically filling the uppermost vat of the series with the drenching liquid which liquid will empty itself successively into and from the several vats of the series through their siphons. 2. A means material with a liquid and thereafter drain: ing it therefrom, said means comprising a. series of vats adapted to retain the material to be treated and arranged one below the other, each vat being connected to the one beneath by a siphon through the wall of the vat adjacent its upper edge the shorter leg of each siphon extending to near the bottom of the upper vat and the longer leg delivering into the vat beneath, a liquid supply tank into which the siphon of the lower vat of the series delivers, and means for periodically filling the upper vat of the series with a liquid from the supply tank whereby the liquid will pass successively through all the vats of the series.

3. A means for periodically drenching a. material with a liquid and thereafter draining it.therefrom, said means comprising a series of vats each having a perforated tra suitably supported clear of the bottom, sai

vats arranged one below the other each vat being connected to the one beneath by a siphon through the wall of the vat adjacent its upper edge the shorter leg of each siphon,

which liquid will empty itself successively into and from the several vats of the series through their siphons.

4. A means for periodically drenching a material witli'a liquid and thereafter draining it therefrom, said meanscomprising a series of vats each having a rforated tray for periodically drenching a suitably supported clear of t e bottom, said i vats arranged one below: the other each vat being connected to the one beneath by a siphon through the wall of the vet adjacent 1 Y its upper edge the shorter leg of each siphon extending below the underside of the perforated tray and the longer leg delivering into the vat beneath,.a liquirhsupply tank into which the siphon-of the lower vat of the series delivers, and means for automatically filling at definite intervals the upper vat of the serieswith a. liquid from the supply tank whereby the liquid will pass successively through all the vats of the series.

5 A means-for periodically drenching a material with a liquid and thereafter draining it therefrom, said means comprising a series of vats each having a closable draining aperture in the bottom and a perforated tray suitably supported clear of the bottom,

said vats arranged one below the other each siphon through the Wall of the vat adjacent its upper edge the shorter leg of each siphon extending below the underside of the perforated tray and the "longer leg delivering into the vat beneath, a liquid supply tank into which the siphon of the lowermost vat of the series delivers and means for automatically filling the uppermost vat of the series at definite intervals with a liquid from the supply tank whereby the liquid will pass successively through all the vats of the series. j

In testimony whereof we aifix our signatures.

ADAM TUDOR EYTON. FREDERICK J. HENDERSON.

'vat being connected to the one beneath by a, 

